Audience chairs



y 1965 A. c. HOVEN ETAL 3,

AUDIENCE CHAIRS Filed June 8, 1.964 4 sheets-sheet 1 FIG. I

INVENTORS ALFRED c. HOVEN ,FRANS SEMPLONIUS WITNESS BY Awa 5 6m #1 3mm7% Z WTWNEYS y 1965 A. c. HOVEN ETAL 3,194,601

AUDIENCE CHAIRS Filed June 8, 1964 4 Sheets-Sheet z INVENTORS:

ALFRED C. HOVEN FRANS SEMPLONIUS WITNESS July 13, 1965 A. c. HOVEN ETALAUDIENCE CHAIRS 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed June 8, 1964 %w%%%@ v m M W July13, 1965 A. c. HOVEN ETAL 3,

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INVENTORSI ALFRED C. HOVEN FRANS SEMPLONIUS WITNESS ATTORNEYS UnitedStates Patent 3,194,601 AUDIENCE CHAIRS Alfred C. Haven, Grand Rapids,and Frans Seinplonius,

Wyoming, Mich, assigncrs to American Seating Com-l This inventionrelates to audience chairs and more particularly to chairs and supportmeans therefor useful in stadia, theaters, assembly rooms, and the like.

An object of the invention is to provide audience chairs of compact,sturdy and novel construction, and unique support structure therefor. Afurther object is to provide audience chairs supported in such a manneras to provide open and free passage in front of the chairs while at thesame time providing comfortable seating when occupied. Yet anotherobject is to provide in assembly area means for supporting chairs incompact arrangement within limited space while at the same timeproviding free passage areas in front of the seats when the same are notoccupied. A still further object is to provide sturdy support means formaintaining chairs in selected spaced relation with a minimum ofstructural parts and enabling plastic back and seat segments to beemployed. Other specific objects and advantages will appear as thespecification proceeds.

In the illustration given, FIGURE 1 is a perspective front view ofchairs made and supported according to our invention; FIGURE 2, a rearpersepctive view of said chairs and supporting means; FIGURE 3, a brokenfront view in elevation showing a row of seats; FIGURE 4, a broken frontView in elevation of a pair of seats, one of the seats being equippedwith a plastic back; FIGURE 5, a side View in elevation of an arm rest,the view being taken as indicated at Line 55 of FIGURE 4; FIGURE 6, abroken side view in elevation, the view being taken as indicated at Line66 of FIGURE 3; FIGURE 7, a view similar to FIGURE 6 but with theplastic back and plastic seat portions removed; FIGURE 8, a top planview of a pair of chairs, one of the chairs being covered with plasticpanels; FIGURE 9, a sectional View, the section being taken as indicatedat Line 99 of FIGURE 8; FIGURE 10, a sectional view, the section beingtaken as indicated at- Line 1ti-16 of FIGURE 9; FIGURE 11, an explodedperspective view of the seat and back frame members inseparatedrelation.

In the illustration given, A designates a platform formed of concrete orany suitable material and providing stepped horizontal portions A andvertical portions A Pedestals 10 are provided with integral slottedflanges 11 which receive bolts 12 which engage internally threadedsockets mounted within the vertical portion A of concrete or othersuitable material. The pedestals are provided at the tops with flanges13 which support segmental crossbeams 14'. Any suitable means forsecuring the crossbeam 14 upon the pedestals 16 may be employed. In thespecific illustration given in FIGURE 2, where segmental beams 14 areabutting each other, bolts 15 pass through the beams 14 and engagetapped openings in the flanges 13. At the same time, the bolts extendthrough flanges 16 of the arm rests 17 so as to anchor the arm rest inplace.

The pedestals may be spaced in any desired manner. In the illustrationgiven in FIGURE 3, the end pedestals 10 are supported below the centerof the end seats and a bolt 18 extends through the flange 13 from thebottom side thereof and engages a tapped opening in the top of beam 14.It will be understood, as stated above, that any suitable means foranchoring the beams 14 upon the pedestals may be employed, and,similarly, the arm rests 17 may be positioned at any desired pointsalong the crossbeams I4.

Means for supporting the chair frame are shown best in FIGURES 7 and 8.A pair of chair back bars or tubes 19 extend. down and have flattenedportions extending over the crossbeam I4 and welded thereto and havealso forwardly projected portions Ztl. Welded to the forwardlyprojecting portions 26 of tubes 19 are the reinforcing plates 21 and 22,as shown best in FIGURE 11. Plate 22 has a depending portion welded tobeam I4 so as to rigidly anchor the back tubes 19 upon the beam 14. Theback tubes 19 are curved re-arwardly and upwardly, terminating in a,metal cross piece 23, as shown best in FIGURE 8. The back piece isprefer-ably provided with recesses 24 adapted to receive ribs in aplastic backed panel 25. The plastic backed panel, as shown best inFIGURES l, 2, 4, and 6, fits down over the metal cross piece 23 and hasa hood portion 26 which substantially encloses the cross piece 23. Theplastic backed member is provided with side flanges 27, and at itsbottom curves forwardly over the forwardly projecting tube portions 2%to provide a seat segment 28. The plastic member 25 thus provides notonly a back rest but also a rigid or stationary seat portion 23. Therear seat segment 28, as shown best in FIGURE 8, is also provided with apair of forwardly extending plastic segments 29.

A forward plastic seat segment Bil, as shown best in FIGURE 8, iscomplementary to the rear seat segment 2% so as to form a complete seatwhen the parts are in the position shown in FIGURES 6 and 8, and theforward seat portion 39 is provided with recesses 31 for receiving theprojecting tongues 29 of the rear seat segment 23.

The forward seat segment 30 is supported by the following structure: apair of seattubes 32, as shown best in FIGURES l0 and 11, are eachflattened to provide a rearwardly extending plate 33 to which is weldeda U- shaped strap 34. The sidewalls of the U-shaped strap 34 and themember 33 are apertured at 35 to receive a pivot rod 36. The plates 21and 22 of the back tube 19 are also apertured at 35a and the apertures350 are brought into alignment with the apertures 35 when the parts arebrought together, as shown in FIGURES 9 and 10. When the parts arebrought together, as shown in FIGURES 9 and 10, a plastic cover 37 isemployed for enclosing the spring mechanism and the cover is held inplace by screws 38.

Springs are employed for urging the seat normally to the raised positionshown on the left-hand side of FIGURE 1. In the specific illustrationgiven, a coiled spring 39 extends about each end of the rod 36 and hasone end 40 anchored within a slot in the fixed plate 21. The other endof the spring 39 extends forwardly and under I a cross bar 41 whichconnects the plates 33 of the forward seat, support tubes 32.

In the assembled position shown in FIGURE 10, the plastic seat panel 30has a depending flange 31a which holds the rod 36 in place. An extension25a on the plastic back 25 also extends between the one side of theU-shaped strap 34 and the member 21 of the back tube 19.

Operation la a complete seat with the plastic segments 29 of the member25 extending into recesses 31 of the forward seat member 30. Therecesses 31 of the forward seat panel 30 enable the seat 39 to beraised, clearing the U-shaped strap 34, etc, and when the seat islowered to the position shown in FIGURES 6 and 8, the recess is filledby the mating projections 29 of the back 25. .:The supporting structurecomprising the pedestals It and the beam segments 14 permits the spacingof the seats as desired. For the most part, the pedestals may be locatedbetween every second chair while the end chairs may be supported by acentral pedestal. By the attachment plates shown, arm rests may belocated at any points desired on the beam 14 and the arm plates may beuntilized also for strengthening the junction between segments of thebeams 14.

When the forward seat portion is swung downwardly to the seat occupiedposition, the bottom of the U-shaped strap 34 becomes a seat stop byabutting the bottom side of the stationary back tube reinforcing plates21 and 22.

aiogeor In the latter position, it will be noted that the crack betweenthe seat segment 28 and the forward seat segment 36 is on a curve sothat the two segments form a smooth continuation providing a completecomfortable seat.

While we have shown the pedestals attached to a vertical wall, it willbe understood that the pedestals may be arranged for attachment to levelor inclined floors, and also the chain may be formed in one piece. Withthe center support structure shown, extra width is provided in theaisle.

While in the foregoing specification we have set forth a specificstructure in considerable detail for the purpose of illustrating anembodiment of our invention, it will be understood that such details maybe "aried widely by those skilled in the art without departing from thespirit of our invention.

We Claim:

1. In combination with a platform providing stepped vertical andhorizontal areas, pedestals anchored to a vertical portion of theplatform, a cross beam carried by said pedestals, a pair of back tubesfixed to said beam and having portions extending rearwardly and upwardlyand short portions extending forwardly, a plastic'back carried by saidupwardly-extending tube portions and providing also a rear seat segmentover said forwardlyextending portions, a pair of seat supports pivotallymounted on said forwardly-extending tube portions, a plastic seatsegment complementary to said first-mentioned rear seat segment carriedby said seat supports, and spring means yieldably urging said forwardseat segment upwardly into a position generally parallel with said'back,said forward seat segment being apertured to clear saidforwardly-extending back tube portions when said for-* ward seat segmentis raised and said fixed rear seat segment being provided withextensions received Within said apertures to substantially fill saidapertures when the forward seat segment is in lowermost position.

2. In combination with a platform providing stepped vertical andhorizontal areas, pedestals anchored to a vertical portion of theplatform, a cross beam carried by said pedestals, a pair of back tubesfixed to said beam and having portions extending rearwardly and upwardlyand short portions extending forwardly, a plastic back carried by saidupwardly-extending tube portions and providing also a rear seat segmentover said forwardly-extending portions, a pair of seat supportspivotally mounted on said forwardly-extending tube portions, 21 plasticseat segment complementary to said first-mentioned. rear seat segmentcarried by said seat supports, spring means yieldably urging saidforward seat segment upwardly into a position generallyparallel'withsaid back, said back tubes and forward seat tubes beingprovided with reinforcing plates in overlapping position, and a pivotrod connecting said plates. 9 g a 3. -In combination with aplatformproviding stepped vertical and horizontal areas, pedestals anchored to avertical portion of the platform, a cross beam carried by saidpedestals, a pair of back tubes fixed to. said beam and havingportions'extending. rearwardly and upwardly and short portions extendingforwardly, a plastic back carried by saidupwardly-extending tubeportions and providing also a rear seat segment oversaid forvvardlyextending portions, a pair of seat supports pivotally mounted on saidforwardly-extending tube portions, a plastic seat segment complementaryto said first-mentioned rear seat segment carried by seat supports,spring means 'yieldably urging said forward seat segment upwardly into aposition generally parallel with said back, said back tubes and forwardseat tubes being provided with reinforcing plates in overlappingposition, a pivot rod connecting said plates, at cross tube connectingthe reinforcing plates of said forwardly-extending seat tubes, andcoiled spring members carried by said pivot rod having ends anchored tothe plates of said back tubes and having free end portions engaging saidcross tube. 9

4. In combination with a cross support, a pair of back tubes fixed tosaid support. and having portions extending rearwardly and upwardly andshort portions extending forwardly, a back carried 'by saidupwardly-extending tube portions and providing also a rear seat segmentover said forwardly-extending portions, a pair of seat supportspivotally mounted on said forwardly-extendingtube portions, a seatsegment complementary to said first-mere tioned rear segment carried bysaid seat supports, and means normally urging said forward seat segmentupwardly into a position generally parallel with said back, said forwardseat segment being apertured to clear said forwardly-extending back tubeportions when said forward seat segment is raised and said fixed rearseat segment being provided with extensions received within saidapertures to substantially fill said apertures when the forward seatsegmentis in lowermost position.

References @ited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 143,979 10/73Hall 297-336 179,472 7/76 Delph 1 297-336 974,703 11/10 Parr 297-3321,209,452, 12/16 Kirsch 297-248 1,325,548 12/19 Wiley 297-333 2,812,80011/57 Eames 297-239 2,907,378 10/59 Barecki 297-337 2,965,155 12/60Henrikson Y 297-333 2,990,007 6/61 Kessler 297-440 3,006,689 10/61Eppink 297-457 3,111,344 11/63 Hoven c 297-248 3,114,271 8/ 64 Lieberman297-248 FOREIGN PATENTS 15,561 1912 Great. Britain. 138,663 1/53 Sweden.

FRANK B. SHERRY, Primary Examiner.

1. IN COMBINATION WITH A PLATFORM PROVIDING STEPPED VERTICAL ANDHORIZONTAL AREAS, PEDESTALS ANCHORED TO A VERTICAL PORTION OF THEPLATFORM, A CROSS BEAM CARRIED BY SAID PEDESTALS, A PAIR OF BACK TUBESFIXED TO SAID BEAM AND HAVING PORTIONS EXTENDING REARWARDLY AND UPWARDLYAND SHORT PORTIONS EXTENDING FORWARDLY, A PLASTIC BACK CARRIED BY SAIDUPWARDLY-EXTENDING TUBE PORTIONS AND PROVIDING ALSO A REAR SEAT SEGMENTOVER SAID FORWARDLYEXTENDING PORTIONS, A PAIR OF SEAT SUPPORTS PIVOTALLYMOUNTED ON SAID FORWARDLY-EXTENDING TUBE PORTIONS, A PLASTIC SEATSEGMENT COMPLEMENTARY TO SAID FIRST-MENTIONED REAR SEAT SEGMENT CARRIEDBY SAID SEAT SUPPORTS, AND SPRING MEANS YIELDABLY URGING SAID FORWARDSEAT SEGMENT UP-